Tuesday, April 4, 2017

#NPM17 - 5/30 Plus non-fiction picture books

              Thanks to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at Kidlit Frenzy.  From Alyson and others, you can count on finding a wonderful book!

April is  #NPM17 - National Poetry Month.

       "Always be a poet, even in prose." 
                                                                   ~Baudelaire (1864)

    Poetic things of interest:  
See Irene Latham's  Progressive Poem's schedule on the page above.  
        If you'd like to see what everyone is doing for Poetry Month, look HERE at Jama Rattigan's post at Jama's Alphabet Soup.


              My goal for Poetry Month: TINY THINGS. My point of view may surprise you, but I'm excited to write, share, and read how everyone writes to meet their special goals for celebrating poetry month. Here is my poem today, connected to music, and especially Pete Seeger.



one note
wrapped in poetry,
ear-marked

 Linda Baie © All Rights Reserved







            I am old enough to remember well the hard, hard times during the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam war protests,  Pete Seeger's songs were a huge part of those times, and the book I'm sharing tells of those times and what Pete strove for before the nineteen-sixties. My husband and I took our children to see Pete sometime in the eighties. It was a small venue in Denver and we were on the front row. Pete came down and sang to our kids, a magical moment. He has also connected to Peter, Paul & Mary, sang with them so many times especially during the Civil Rights' Movement and at the Freedom March with Dr. King. Peter Yarrow writes an introduction to this book.


       The book can serve as an introduction to Pete Seeger's long and influential life. His early upbringing was influenced by his social activist father and stepmother. He ended in boarding school when his parents divorced and learned early about censorship and that sometimes people didn't want to tell the truth. All along this time he was practicing the banjo, had also learned early that music can both inspire and bring people together.   
          Each page in Susanna Reich's story about Pete brings a new view, a new event that makes you want to research for more. Pete married, bought a bit of land and built a log cabin. He wasn't there often but traveled and sang. For a long time, he and his wife were poor. In the earlier years, speaking up for union workers and for the rights of African Americans caused him to be put on the blacklist. He was never hired to sing, never asked to perform on television for a long time. During that time, he adapted an old song he had heard in Tennessee and shared it with Dr. King. That song gave the movement their anthem, "We Shall Overcome." You can find part of the story here (my research).  Illustrations by Adam Gustavson add to the parts of Pete's story told on each page. They are realistic and vibrant portraits of Pete's constant excitement for life and what music and doing the right thing meant to him.
         The final part of the book tells of Pete's extraordinary last act, building his boat, Clearwater, begun first to inspire still one more movement, cleaning up the Hudson River.
         Some may remember Pete leading 400,000 people singing "This Land Is Your Land" at the Lincoln Memorial when President Obama was inaugurated. 

        There is an author's note, source notes for quotes used and additional sources.


Here's one of my favorites during the Vietnam war protests.





picture - photo credit: Brandon Giesbrecht Music via photopin (license)

16 comments:

  1. Linda, this one is really speaking to me as I sit in my studio with Lady Godiva (my cello) waiting so patiently behind me.... "earmarked" is so great in this poem... you should submit this one to the haiku journals! xo

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    1. Thank you, Irene. Isn't it fun when someone (or something) inspires? I listened to Pete Seeger's singing as I wrote.

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  2. Oh, I need to get this book. How my husband would love this. I remember watching a documentary about Pete on PBS. I will just have to listen to some of his music when I get home. Thank you for this Linda!

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    1. You're welcome, Barbara. I've been listening now for a few days-wonderful to hear Pete sing those old songs. Enjoy!

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  3. Linda, I'm old enough to remember the 1960s and Pete Seeger's songs too. I haven't read Stand Up and Sing!, so I'm putting it on my book list. Thanks for sharing it. Also, I agree with Irene, you should submit your poem, it is excellent.

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    1. Thank you, Linda. I imagine you will enjoy the book.

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  4. I adored this book too! I was a huge folk music fan when I was growing up in the 80s and feel a renewed need to get my daughters listening to these amazing songs. I didn't think about it as a form of poetry, but absolutely! What a great way to expand the thought process, especially since many understand poetry more when sang rather than read. I'm going to use that as a way to start a conversation with my daughters!

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    1. The songs are so nice for the kids to memorize, too. Hope you have fun sharing them with your daughters. Thanks!

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  5. What a lovely poem! I too thought "earmarked" was perfect.

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    1. Thanks, Annette, I appreciate everyone's response to my poem. Sometimes it feels right, doesn't it?

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  6. Sadly I was largely unfamiliar with Seeger for much of my life, and I actually learned most of what I know about him from this beautiful picture book!

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    1. I'm so glad you discovered Pete Seeger, Jane, and hope you're enjoying his songs, too.

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  7. I need to request this book. Your haiku it perfect, love thinking of that "one note wrapped in poetry, ear-marked!" I love the power of music to bring people together. It's a bonding experience for the generations. I love that Sara is singing the same songs to Jack that I sang to her.

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    1. I hope you'll enjoy this story about Pete Seeger, Ramona. He thought exactly that about music. How wonderful to hear about Sara singing "your" songs to Jack. That's worth a piece of writing! Thank you!

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  8. Just put this one on hold at the library, Linda! I've seen in mentioned a few times, but this great review got me in action!

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    1. Terrific! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Michele. Thanks!

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